‘Repaid kindness’: Japan war orphan raised by multiple China families is now a midwife
Woman whose father perished when his plane was shot down and whose mother died after giving birth to her makes heartfelt plea for peace
A Japanese war orphan raised by multiple Chinese families grew up to become a midwife, honouring the kindness she received from China.
Her story, shared in the documentary series Beyond Blood and Borders, aired in December, on mainland streaming platforms and attracted widespread attention.
The series follows the lives of 10 Japanese orphans left behind after Japan’s defeat in the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1945.
More than 4,000 children were abandoned in China, primarily in the Northeast and Inner Mongolia, and were adopted by Chinese families.
One of the most heartwarming stories is that of Xu Yan, born Sakura Yamamoto in Shenyang, Liaoning province, northeastern China.
Xu’s birth father reportedly died when his plane was shot down and her mother died from complications after giving birth to her.
At just under one year old, she was adopted by a Chinese family. But soon after, her adoptive father was drafted into the military, leaving his wife unable to care for three children alone.